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150th Arkansas Post

There is a little known effort being made by the Friends of Arkansas Post to create a 150th anniversary event of that battle. The dates for this event are going to be Jan. 18 - 20, 2013. There will be the option to arrive as early as Jan. 16 for two days of living history for local school children. As of right now, there are over 1000 school kids signed up to come and visit the encampment.

The event site is situated on private property between the Arkansas Post State Park, and the Arkansas Post National Park. The land owner of this said has said that participants can do what they like on the site.

As with all events like this, in this part of the country, they are in need of Federals. So, if you, your mess, your company, or your battalion could go and support this effort by the Friends of Arkansas Post as Federals for the weekend, that would be fantastic. The cutoff for the total number of participants is 1,000. Historically, there were close to 50,000 Federals attacking roughly 8,000 Confederates. Plus, the Feds had gunboats supporting the infantry. Therefore, there needs to be a massive Federal presence at this event.

The event organizers will not have a rebuilt Fort Hindman, but they will have a long line of rifle pits / entrenchments for which the Confederates will take shelter behind and which the Federals will attack. The Feds made at least 8 separate frontal assaults on this mile long line of rifle pits, and each time were driven back with heavy loss. It was only due to the fire that the Confederate were taking from the front, as well as being fired on in their rear by gun boats, that they started to raise white flags. However, the command to surrender was never official given, so while one half of the Confederate force surrendered, the other half did not.

Here is a link to the website where you can register. Please come out to the Trans-Miss and support Arkansas Post's efforts at remembering the sacrifices of these soldiers 150 years ago. It might not be Gettysburg, but it's still worth remembering. Talk to your boys and drum up support to go to Arkansas Post in January, especially as Federals: http://arkansastoothpick.com/2012/09...-event-slated/

Nic, this is excellent news to some of us Texas reenactors. I've visited both the state park and the National Park at Arkansas Post, and am really pleased this important Trans-Mississippi battle is going to celebrate its 150th with a reenactment this coming January. I will strive to see it is on the schedule for our battalion.

Phil McBride
The Alamor Rifles
Co K, 6th Texas Infantry
Who were in the thick of it at Arkansas Post

That would be great, Phil! At a ratio of almost 7:1, or more, we need lots and lots of Feds to attack the small Confederate force that will be taking shelter behind the line of entrenchments. The Friends of Arkansas Post are doing all that they can to drum up support for this event, but they can only do so much. They are bending over backwards to give all those who come to participate a good time, and that they have plenty of food and fuel to stay warm with. As far as I know, there has never been a National effort to recreate the Battle of Arkansas Post, and there might never be another one again. This is event will be as large, or as small; as good or as bad as we make it. 100 total guys standing in a field shooting blanks at each other for an hour, or 1,000 Federals making 8 separate head-long frontal assaults against entrenched Confederates, taking heavy casualties, while there's a continuous roar of small arms and artillery for an hour without pause . . . the choice is up to us.

Bump! Don't forget to register yourself, your company, or your battalion for the 150th Arkansas Post! It will probably be the only National Arkansas Post event you'll get to go to. They needs Feds! Historically, it was around 50,000 Feds. vs. around 8,000 Confederates. The cut-off for total participants is 1,000. There needs to be 2 or 3 times as many Feds as Confederates to give a proper representation to the overwhelming odds the Confederates were up against. Plus, as a Fed you won't be freezing your butt off in all of your wool clothing!

I am handling registration for the 19th Ark effort. Please send your registrations to me and I will organize and register everyone as a group. That way we have a firm count for our outfit.. My mailing address is PO Box 308 New Madrid, MO 63869.

To clarify with Mike's post from today; I am spearheading an effort to raise an authentic company of Confederates, with the guiding impression being the 19th Arkansas Infantry. We will be the only 19th Arkansas Inf. being portrayed at the event. But, this is not a come one / come all company. In my company we follow history, and history has indicated that the uniforms for those in the 19th are NOT depot made jackets or frocks, but 100% of our clothing - whether uniform or not - came from home. Homemade jackets or frocks, homemade pants, and even homemade kepis. NO ONE in the 19th will show up to Arkansas Post wearing anything that is a representation of a depot manufactured jacket or frock. With that being said, the event organizers are hurting for Federals (as always in this part of the country). The Federals were those same Feds that would fight at Vicksburg, as Arkansas Post was a rearguard action that took place in January of 1863 and was part of the larger Vicksburg Campaign. So, if you go Fed, wear your Federal attire as it would be in January of 1863. I have posted the link to the event registration form if you, your company, or your battalion would like to attend the 150th Arkansas Post. There probably will not be another National effort to portray the Battle of Arkansas Post, so take advantage of this 150th event to support not only a winter event, but a Trans-Miss. winter event, at that. It will be a good way to shake off the Holiday season and get you ready for all the 150th 1863 events.

I am just an interested party trying to spread the word about the 150th Arkansas Post. I am not organizing anything other than my company of 19th Arkansas Infantry. If you would like to attend this event, contact Dyan Bohnert, who is the President of the Friends of Arkansas Post. Her email is; dyanbohnert@centurytel.net, or by phone at 1-870-382-2017, for more information on how to attend this event. I do know that the cap at total number of participants has been set at 1,000.